Howard County, Nebraska Demographics 2026

Name: Howard County, Nebraska Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

Howard County, Nebraska has a population of 6,534, the 45th most populous county in Nebraska. The median household income is $76,767 and the median home value is $209,100. The poverty rate is 4.8%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Howard County Quick Facts

Population 6,534

Median Household Income $76,767

Median Home Value $209,100

Poverty Rate 4.8%

Unemployment Rate 3.8%

Median Age 42.2 years

Homeownership Rate 78.2%

Affordability Ratio 2.7x

Bachelor's Degree+ 26.0%

High School Graduation 95.9%

Cities/Places 8

Population 6,534 45th of 93

Median Income $76,767 about the same as state

Poverty Rate 4.8%

Unemployment 3.8%

How Howard County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	6,492	6,534	+0.6%
Median household income	$74,508	$76,767	+3.0%
Median home value	$205,200	$209,100	+1.9%

Median Household Income

Howard

$76,767

$76,475

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Howard

$209,100

$238,600

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 12.5%

$25K-$50K 20.1%

$50K-$100K 31.9%

$100K+ 35.4%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

2.7%

$10K-$15K

1.6%

$15K-$20K

5.2%

$20K-$25K

3.1%

$25K-$30K

3.8%

$30K-$35K

2.9%

$35K-$40K

5.9%

$40K-$45K

4.1%

$45K-$50K

3.4%

$50K-$60K

8.3%

$60K-$75K

7.4%

$75K-$100K

16.3%

$100K-$125K

10.1%

$125K-$150K

8.1%

$150K-$200K

8.8%

$200K+

8.4%

Employment

3.8% Unemployment Rate State: 3.0%|National: 5.2%

64.9% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 78.2%

Renter 21.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.7x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $777/mo 12.1% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

25.2%

18-34

16.3%

35-54

22.3%

55-74

26.2%

75+

10.0%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

Very Low Diversity

A less diverse community where one racial or ethnic group represents a large majority.

State average: 41 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in Howard County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
St. Paul	2,758	$62,212	3.9%	$203,300
St. Libory	307	N/A	7.5%	$145,000
Dannebrog	235	$63,250	7.2%	$127,500
Howard City (Boelus)	186	$68,750	9.7%	$80,000
Elba	171	$36,250	10.7%	$98,300
Cushing	112	$98,478	0.0%	N/A
Farwell	78	$52,500	7.7%	N/A
Cotesfield	27	N/A	3.7%	N/A

Explore Nebraska Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

Howard County is located in Nebraska with a total population of 6,534. It is the 45th most populous county out of 93 in Nebraska. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in Howard County is 42.2 years. This is 13% higher than the state median of 37.2 years. 10.0% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Howard County is $76,767. This is about the same as the state median of $76,475. It is also 5% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 4.8%. This is 55% lower than the state poverty rate of 10.6%. This exceptionally low poverty rate indicates strong economic prosperity across the community. The unemployment rate is 3.8%. This is 24% higher than the state rate of 3.0%. The median home value is $209,100. Housing costs are 12% lower than the state median of $238,600. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.7x, Howard County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 78.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 18% higher than the state average of 66.5%.

Race & Ethnicity

Howard County has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.1% of all residents. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 3.2%. The Black or African American population (0.6%) is well below the state average of 4.6%. The Hispanic or Latino population (3.2%) is well below the state average of 12.7%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 2.6%.

Education

26.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 25% lower than the state rate of 34.6%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 95.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Howard County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Nebraska and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Howard County, Nebraska?

Howard County has a population of 6,534, making it the 45th most populous county in Nebraska.

What is the median income in Howard County?

The median household income in Howard County is $76,767 with a poverty rate of 4.8%.

How many cities are in Howard County, Nebraska?

Howard County contains 8 Census-designated places.